Hello everyone, I am new to this forum after doing so much research on candida. Here is a brief history about me; I’ll try to be short.

Ever since early childhood, I felt I have always had a sensitive stomach. I never ate very much, and I was a very picky eater. Instead, I would always have peanut butter, dairy products, carbs, easy things to digest. Then, when I tried new things, I would have an upset stomach. Plus, I always suffered from constipation. I only went like once a month, or until I exploded! Also, I was always tensed, stressed.

Then, things starting taking a turn for the worse in high school. My chronic stress, problems with family, getting sick all the time led me down a road of anorexia. I did get better, but I think my problems led to me where I am at today; abuse on my body back then, the constipation, the stess, antibiotics, getting mono in 2009, reactions to smells, molds, rashes, etc.

In 2009, when I met my partner, I was tired of my stomach feeling bad all the time, and the chronic constipation. I would eat or drink the wrong things, I would bloat up like crazy, even though I was still a small guy!!! Plus, my stress of trying to achieve perfection in college, drinking excessive amounts of coffee, staying up because I wanted to be a physician assistant. I had to get the good grades!!!

I started going to doctors about my gerd, acid reflux, chronic constipation. Of course, I took excessive amounts of ppi’s, laxatives, etc. I realize this all made my problems worse now!

Then, I finally had surgery in June 2011 to remove my colon because I was diagnosed with colonic inertia. After the surgery, I still didn’t feel right. I told the doctors my left abdomen still hurt and bloated. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, food would stay in me for 8-12 hours or more. That explains why I felt nauseous all the time! So, in Jan. 2012, I had an insertion for a gastric pacemaker (very rough start with that surgery!). I do believe the gastric pacemaker was essential because it has helped speed up my stomach, and make me feel like eating again! =)

One down side of speeding up my stomach, I am now running into problems of diarrhea or constipation, excessive gas, ibs symptoms due to not having a colon (wondering if removing my colon was really necessary now, or if things could have been reversed by knowing about holistic approaches before heading down the no colon route first). It is awful!!! I think my years of abuse, food rotting in my stomach, colon, etc. caused me to have candida, sibo, ibs, etc. Most the time I just get excessive gas feeling like I have to go to the bathroom, but I can’t do anything, so my left abdomen bloats. Then, I lay in the fetal position or something to pass the gas. Plus, I hate to take anything because then I can run into diarrhea mode. I can’t go naturally, but I can’t take anything.

In December, I decided to see an integrative doctor because I was trying different, alternative approaches to help me, but I still wasn’t seeing the results I wanted. The integrative doctor is very nice, and she said I needed to cleanse first before I would really start feeling better from leaky gut, yeast, etc. Also, she knew that I had a very sensitive system, and that I do not weight very much still due my previous history of the gastroparesis. I really think I could feel a little better now if my candida was more under control!!

Before I continue, I forgot to add one more point about me (peeing). I never seem to pee during the day, and it only happens in the morning, or multiple times in the night. when I was in the hospital, they add to cath me several times because of uti’s and building up of fluid! This made me think I have candida, too!

L-glutamine: The biggest help of all! I do feel I can take too much sometimes, but I found I do need a lot sometimes because it helps regulate my bowel movements. I think I like this one the best, intestinew (renew life-added ingredients that are very soothing) or jarrow.

I was starting to see some improvement; I started everything at the beginning of the year, Jan. 3rd, after New Year’s. Biggest help has been mainly going gluten-free and dairy-free; diet changes. If I really feel like dairy and can handle, I found goat yogurt is not too bad for a little treat!

After 15 days, I still felt like I needed an anti-fungal because things were still not perfect. I am waiting for the perfect day! I took the yeast balance off and on still to help, but still felt like it didn’t help all the time, plus I am not sure I liked the peppermint burps sometimes.

So, about the beginning of Feb.; I decided to try the paragone by Renew life, thinking about parasites and yeast (plus growing up on a farm, being around animals all my life, having cats, dogs, too, etc.). At first, I felt like it was helping, I wasn’t taking the full dose all the time because I didn’t want to suffer too bad. Now, I am on the second round, and I have been suffering some extreme die-offs; brain-fog, backaches, itching, small rash on my leg currently, very cold and chills at times, and for some reason right now, extreme anxiety again and stress, feeling like I have to get this and this done, which can run down my adrenal glands.

I am debating whether to finish it after reading all the posts on here about multi-fungals, just pick a few and rotate those. However, I do feel the paragone has been making me relieve gas problems, go to the bathroom in the morning, and it has been taking away gas better. Thanks for the tip on molybedum on the this site because that has been helping me cope better and think a little better!!! One question about fungals; my doctor told me it is not good to take them all the time, and it is hard to find information about that, maintenance with probiotics and fungals, confusing?

Also, my doctor told me to take magnesium and vitamin C, but I am afraid to take those because I really think magnesium gives me gas and the runs (fish oil does not seem to agree either, flaxseed to help regulate a little better plus omegas?). It does help me more relaxed, but the affects the next day, yuck, even a small amount of natural calm (natural vitality).

I have found certain vitamins that help, too. b-vitamins, but I do have to watch that sometimes, and it is hard to find the one that really suites me (country life co-enzyme or source naturals sub co-enzyme is the ones I have been taking lately). Also, I know I need iron, but it is hard to find a good iron supplement, feel like it is not good, but I have been taking flinstone vitamin with iron at times.

For anxiety, yes, I did find out ashwangda does help, plus relora helps and helps with sweet cravings. I like this sub-lingual relora by superior source because I like cinnamon. I am taking zoloft right now, but feel it doesn’t help all the time. I need some stress-relievers during the day. I have been drinking this tea in the morning sometimes, but I don’t like it that has caffeine, but it has aswangda (yogi herbal tea vanilla spice perfect energy). I do find I do not caffeine every day now, and I want to try to get my greens in more, and keep an alakline body!!! Do you think this might be a good supplement for ashwangda; http://www.iherb.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Adrenal-Optimizer-60-Tablets/7923. Plus, I do not feel I need all the b’s sometimes. Probably need b12, but I do think some don’t absorb. I have read biotin and pathenine are good for candida sufferers.

Also, I have thought about chlorella for detoxing, and it contains iron, b12, very good nutrients, just afraid to take it if it has an affect like magnesium. I just don’t want to overload my body either,which I feel I have done at times. Plus, aloe vera??

Diet has helped a lot though: Main things in my diet right now include: a. egg whites (a lot of those, I do not think yolks agree with all the time) b. rice crackers, rice cakes c. tuna salad on occasion d. salads, spinach, with some olive oil, lemon juice my own version of desserts (mashed up celery, cooked, zucchini, then add almond butter, cinnamon, nutmeg-very good!) e. making my own puddings (almond milk) f. brown rice on occasion (quinoa, or quinoa flakes for morning) g. tipala or shrimp, ground turkey h. turkey (organic, from applegate farms) i. veggies I know I like: thought carrots were okay, but they aren’t (I can in small amounts in dishes); tomatoes okay, zucchini, celery, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, asparagus, green beans, think just butternut squash is okay, trying to assess eggplant, avocadoes sometimes but not all the time (too much of that really does make me full, and I still have to watch my fat sometimes due to my gastroparesis!) Oh yes, I did find out almonds are the best, almond butter; yes peanut butter does give you indigestion, and makes your stomach feel bad!!! To think as a child, I ate that like everyday, mold!!!!!!! j. treats: notice if I really want fruit, I know pineapple is not recommended but just a small piece of dried, un-sulphered pineapple helps sometimes; had a few blueberries this morning (berries the best b/c I know they are lower in sugar); found out dates bad (no wonder-high in sugar-no bananas, even before going on the diet, I couldn’t stand them, and I know why-high in sugar) It is better to eat fruit alone if you really, really want it, or it ferments! k. sweets: apple butter, pumpkin butter (no sugar added); stevia; coconut nectar; nutmeg, cinnamon; I try to stick as close as possible. have cheated a few times: make my own chocolate with unsweetened cocoa, had alcohol a couple times (I think all my times drinking in college made my gut feel bad, too. I’d get stressed and go all out on a Friday night, and feel very bad the next day! I loved wine, plus I am such a light-weight! However, I am not an alcoholic, and I don’t like to party or go to bars anymore, but it is nice to relax with it now and again. I have noticed that I really do not want to have it anymore, unless I go out to dinner of sometime with a friend for a treat, not worth the pain the next day anymore!)

Good thing I haven’t lost weight; I have maintained. I just feel really worn-down sometimes, and I have enjoyed starting to cook up new variations on things; you learn to be creative. It does take a lot of work!!!! I try to cook a little bit everyday, or spend a whole morning cooking a whole bunch of stuff, then have it on hand. I know I have to focus on healing my gut. I know my integrative doctor said it does take a lot of time to heal a leaky gut, months; I guess it just depends on how long you have suffered. I know I feel like it will never get completely better sometimes, but I know after changing some of my diet habits this year, that I try to plug along because I want to start working again!!! I am glad my partner has been with me and accepted my struggles!!!

So, sorry this is long, but advice on the bowels and urinary issues, stress, anti-fungals, etc. would help. I have read the different protocols here, but I do feel I am a little different due to my history!

Forgot to add a couple things: Another thing that I used to do, ever since high school; suck on hard candy all the time. My blood sugar would get low, and I would chew gum all the time. Plus, I did artificial sweetners all the time; first equal, sweet n low, then splenda thinking it was healthier. Have a hard time drinking water sometimes, so flavor it with crystal light. All bad! Since the beginning of the year, I have not chewed gum once, and maybe a little candy here and there, but mainly no. The l-glutamine and relora does help with that; b-vitamins at times, too. However, I still feel brain fog, light-headed, hypoglycemia (might be due to diet sometimes, so reason for pineapple and such things at times) or the feeling of electrolytes feel off sometimes. I am just trying hard to pin-point reactions, and I do get jealous sometimes watching my partner eating pizza all the time. Sometimes I don’t mind it, but other times, I am like, ohhhh, wish I could have that. I need to make my own version.

Plus, I think when I was trying to help myself before seeing the doctor, I really think those yeast based vitamins affected me as well. I don’t care if they say that they are a beneficial yeast. I think they hurt me!!

kjones02;36928 wrote: I have read the different protocols here, but I do feel I am a little different due to my history!

Everyone is different due to their history, so don’t think for a second that you’re alone in this fact.

You’re eating a lot of foods that will prevent you from completely curing your infestation. Your questions are answered by our forum protocol, that is if you’re willing to follow it. And if you are, read the links below and let me know if you wish to have the strict diet that the forum members are using.

The rice cakes and rice feed the candida and is something we don’t recommend eating on the forum. It is also inflammatory, contains sugar, and is hard to digest.

Almond milk and almond butter is problematic because almonds contain molds; also look at your label to see if it contains sugars, if it does this is not good. Its best to make your own almond milk after soaking and roasting the almonds (which removes molds) and thus you know what ingredients it contains and its fresh. If your almond butter is in the container and has been sitting on the store shelves for weeks, this will be high in molds as well. I would also be very careful with the pumpkin butter because this is likely high in molds as well.

I would not drink alcohol for a very long time, this is not beneficial to your health. I personally didn’t drink for over a year while on the diet and drinking damages your liver which you need for your health. The chocolate should not be eaten on the diet.

I think guys got a little confused about some problems. Plus, I have been feeling a little better by going dairy-free and gluten-free. I have been feeling better going to bed at night, but I still face the issue of how am I going to feel after lunch each day, but I am glad that I feel better going to bed each night. Prior to the new year, gas and bloated every, single night going to bed!!!!

For gas: I have considered trying a small dose of hcl again. I told my doctor about that before, and I felt it was too strong sometimes, burn in stomach; however, I am realizing that I might need to try again if I do eat some protein.

From Raster: I really hope you are not taking the artificial sweeteners anymore; if you want to look at one single cause of your anxiety, I would look at artificial sweeteners… A: Absolutely not! I have touched an artificial sweetener all year!!! It has helped tremendously! If I want to use a sweetener, it is stevia. Plus, no hard candies anymore or gum anymore, since the beginning of the year. That is a big progress for me! I was addicted to that.

From Raster: I would not drink alcohol for a very long time, this is not beneficial to your health. I personally didn’t drink for over a year while on the diet and drinking damages your liver which you need for your health. The chocolate should not be eaten on the diet. A: No, I have only had alcohol once since Jan. 3rd, 2 drinks one night because I went out to eat with some friends. A local restaurant closed, and we wanted to eat their one more time. I did follow food wise by picking out my salad very closely, and none of their dressing.

From Able: You’re eating a lot of foods that will prevent you from completely curing your infestation. Your questions are answered by our forum protocol, that is if you’re willing to follow it. And if you are, read the links below and let me know if you wish to have the strict diet that the forum members are using. A: I want to try and get better; I guess it is just hard because I don’t want to starve myself either!

Raster, thanks for the response on some foods. I never realized that about almond milk before. I am buying the original almond breeze, unsweetened kind. I think it only has like 3 or 4 g of sugar.

Also, never realized about the rice cakes (funny how my doctor says that is good snack), I don’t eat them all the time, and I have watched my carb intake very closely since the beginning of the year because I notice if I eat too many carbs, I run into gi problems, and for brown rice, I try not to eat too much of it because I can tell if I do, and really is not everyday. Heck, I have even noticed that at breakfast; grew up always on cereal. I do not want that anymore or a bagel, not good stuff, rather have something more nutrition.

Plus, never realized about the pumpkin butter either!

Chocolate, I only ate like twice, unsweetened cocoa because I just tried to be creative. Like I said, I have started to cook up a lot of different variations trying to listen to my body.

Chlorella: I started the molybedum, and then the other day; I should get it tomorrow, I am getting a trace mineral supplement that seemed good. It contains zinc, selenium, chromium, manganase, boron, and vandium. I remember my naturalpath does recomended antioxidants.

Q: This is why I asked about my problems also with magnesium and vitamin C, and other supplements to help with anxiety, etc. My answer: I guess I have more reading to do! I just have been having brain fog lately, and feeling worn down.

Q: Anti-fungals? the paragone?

I am trying, and I do want to get better, and I already know that I don’t want to eat and feed candies, peanut butter, dairy, hard sugars all the time because I have felt better by doing that. I do want more greens; it is just hard sometimes.

A: Now I thought organic eggs were good, and I have been eating a lot of those, well, egg whites. Few other times for protein, turkey, tuna, or tipala mainly, that’s it! For vegetables, I am trying for more greens.

I like the integrative doctor I met, but I guess I still haven’t gotten enough information. Plus, she had me on elimination diet. I was trying to react how I see to different things, and I have been moving slowly. I guess some of her recipes she gave me, and some of the foods you mention are different.

I am just trying to establish a regular bowel routinue for me, too without feeling better. Candida is a complex issue!!! Others, please chime in, too! It is hard, and my doctor is right about it taking a lot of time to heal.

Finally, I know I need to up probiotics, and I just still have a hard time. I know, you feel worse before you get better, but thanks again about the moly-big help!!

Oh, just checked the almond milk, no sugar, and only 2 carbs! =) Plus, I did the other day, soak and roast my almonds for a snack to remove molds. I did some reading, and discovered this is best to do!!!

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